WA - Water Authority WA Waterkeeper
Alliance WA - Watershed Academy (EPA) WA - Watershed
Analysis WA - Watershed Approach (EPA) WA - Wave Action WA - Wetland Acquisition WA - Wilderness Act
(1964) WA - Wilderness
Alliance WA - Wilderness
Association WA - Wildland
Adventures WA - Wildlife Agent WA - Wings of the
Americas WA - World Army WAAS - The Wide
Area Augmentation System (surveying and mapping) Wabash River Heritage Corridor Fund - Matching
assistance program that provides up to 75 percent of the cost for the acquisition
and/or development of outdoor recreation sites along the Wabash River or
its viewshed. WA-CERT -
Washington Community Economic Revitalization Team (Washington State) WAC - Watershed Agricultural Council WAC - World Affairs
Council WACD - Wyoming
Association of Conservation Districts WACP - World
Affairs Council of Philadelphia WAEI - Weighted
Average Erosion Index (USDA) WAERSA - World Agricultural Economics and Rural
Sociology Abstracts WAFC - Western
Ancient Forest Campaign WAJF - W. Alton
Jones Foundation Wall - The sides of
a mine working; rock on either side of an ore body. Wall Rocks - Rock
units on either side of an orebody. The hangingwall and footwall rocks
of an orebody. WAM - Work Assignment Manager WAN - Wide Area
Network WAP - Waste
Analysis Plan WAP - Watershed Assessment and Protection WAPA - Western Area
Power Administration The War Powers Act - During the aftermath of
withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam and the Paris Peace Accords,
Congress seized the opportunity on November 7, 1973 to enact the War
Powers Act. This piece of legislation was created in response to the
attitude shift that had taken place in Congress since the 1964 passage
of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Many members of Congress and the
American public felt that the Executive Branch had waged a war with far
more sweeping powers than the Constitution permitted. In some regards,
the War Powers Act was the result of concerted action by members of both
the House of Representatives and the Senate who had been generally
opposed to the escalation of the war. The War Powers Act also was
created in response to some members of Congress and the American public
who believed both the Johnson and Nixon Administrations had lied on
numerous occasions with regard to U.S. participation in Vietnam.
The War Powers Act essentially limits the power of the President
in waging hostilities without congressional approval. The War Powers Act
mandates that the President notify Congress, if possible, before
committing troops to action. Once American forces are committed to combat they
can stay no more than sixty days unless Congress extends their mission.
The War Powers Act is principally viewed as a means to prevent
the presidency from embroiling the United States in a war similar to the
Vietnam experience. The War
Powers Act was passed in 1973 over a Presidential veto was an attempt
for Congress to reign in the executive power in foreign policy issues,
particularly in the commitment of US armed forces overseas. It is
generally thought of as being in response to Vietnam. Many Presidents since then have frequently abused
this Act or have informed Congress of aggressions out of
"courtesy" often after troops have been deployed. This is not
only the result of abusive administrations ("institutional
aggrandizement of presidents"), but often due to a consenting
Congresses (through acquiescence or silence), and a Judicial branch that
won't take sides. Warm-Season Plant
Species - Plants whose major growth occurs during the spring, summer, or
fall, and are usually dormant in winter. WASDE - World Agricultural Supply and Demand
Estimates Wash (Dry Wash) - The channel of a
flat-floored ephemeral stream, commonly with very steep to vertical
banks cut in unconsolidated material.
It is usually dry but can be transformed into a temporary
watercourse or short-lived torrent after heavy rain within the
watershed. In southern Nevada, dry washes are commonly used
transportation corridors due to flat sand or gravel surfaces, lack of
vegetation and accessibility as compared to the surrounding terrain. Casual off-road vehicle use would be limited to those dry
washes greater than 8 feet in width. - BLM WASL - Washington
Assessment of Student Learning WASL - Washington
Math-Science List WASP - Water
Quality Analysis Simulation Program Waste - Mineralized
or un-mineralized rock that is not ore. Waste Management -
An umbrella term that is applied to the processes of determining where
and how to dispose of industrial or household waste. (UNESCO) Waste Treatment
Pond - A shallow lagoon or similar storage facility, often man-made,
used to treat liquid agricultural wastes, particularly liquid manure
from livestock production farms, through the interaction of sunlight,
wind, algae, and oxygen. Through natural biological processes,
microscopic organisms consume wastes present in the water.
Waste Rock (Waste)
- Barren rock at a mine or material that is too low in grade to be of
economic value. - BLM Surface Mgmt. Regs. Waste stream(s)
The unused solid or liquid byproducts of a process. - Bioenergy Glossary
2. The
waste material output of a community, region or facility. EPA Wastewater - Water
that has been used and is no longer clean. (WB-UN) Wastewater Reuse -
Utilization of water whose source contains contaminates from human
activities. Everglades Plan glossary Wastewater
Treatment - The process of removing pollutants from water that has been
used. There are different stages of treatment. Primary sewage treatment
involves screening the water to remove the largest solids from
wastewater and then letting the water sit in settling tanks so that the
smaller solids and particles sink to the bottom. Secondary treatment
involves another stage in which microbes added to the wastewater to eat
the biological pollutants, or the wastewater is put through another
filter. Then the treated water is disinfected and released back into
nature. The more steps included in the treatment, the more expensive the
process. (WB-UN) Water (USAID
definition of water as seen by farmers) - "...to farmers, water is
a means to an end, and that end is income. They need land, seed, labour,
capital, traction, storage and any other input. They cannot farm without
water, but they cannot maximise their returns from the investment of
that labour without a wider range of other inputs as well. Irrigation
agencies miss the point when they organise farmers into Water User
Associations (WUA's) primarily for canal construction and operation and
maintenance. Farmers will organise readily to get government assistance
to repair or extend their irrigation systems, but only if improved
operation and maintenance promises more income. If the WUA program means
more work for the same return, they are unlikely to go along...."
Participation and Empowerment, USAID - ISPAN 1994 2. A General cover
category consisting of permanent water, such as a perennial stream,
lake, or pond with at least 25 percent open water. If the vegetative
canopy obscures more than 75 percent of the water surface from view, the
area is recorded under the category appropriate for the canopy
vegetation. Four types of water areas are large streams, large water
bodies, small streams, and small water bodies. - National Resources
Inventory Water acquisition -
The purchase of water from willing sellers. - Bureau Of Reclamation (BOR)
Water Acquisition Glossary Water and soil
resource management - Impoundment of fishing/canoeing streams or of more
than 25 percent of their watersheds will be discouraged. - USDA Forest
Service Water areas - A Land cover/use category
comprising water bodies and streams that are permanent open water. -
National Resources Inventory Water balance - See
Hydrologic budget. - USGS Water Bank Program (WBP) - A program to set aside
wetlands for a period of 10 years (renewable) for conservation purposes.
Participants receive annual rental payments. As these contracts expire,
participants are offered the opportunity to place the land in the
Wetland Reserve Program. Water body - A type
of (permanent open) water area that includes ponds, lakes, reservoirs,
bays or gulfs, and estuaries. There are three size categories: less than
2 acres, 2 to 40 acres, and at least 40 acres. - National Resources
Inventory Water-breaks (or
water bars) - A mound or small dikelike surface drainage structure,
properly used only in closing retired roads to traffic and on fire lines
and abandoned skid trails. USDA Water Budget - An
account of all water inflows, outflows and changes in storage for a
pre-specified period of time. Everglades Plan glossary Water Budget - An
accounting of the inflow to, outflow from, and storage in, a hydrologic
unit. Water Catchment
Area - See Watershed. Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) - Everglades
marshland areas that were modified for use as storage to prevent
flooding, to irrigate agriculture and recharge well fields and as input
for agricultural and urban runoff. The Water Conservation Areas WCA-1,
WCA-2A, WCA-2B, WCA-3A and WCA-3B comprise five surface water management
basins in the Everglades; bounded by the Everglades Agricultural Area on
the north and the Everglades National Park basin on the south, the WCAs
are confined by levees and water control structures that regulate the
inflows and outflows to each one of them. Restoration of more natural
water levels and flows to the WCAs is a main objective of the CERP.
Everglades Plan glossary Water content of
snow - See Water equivalent of snow. USGS Water-cooled vibrating grate - A boiler grate
made up of a tuyere grate surface mounted on a grid of water tubes
interconnected with the boiler circulation system for positive cooling.
The structure is supported by flexing plates allowing the grid and grate
to move in a vibrating action. Ashes are automatically discharged. -
Bioenergy Glossary Watercourse - A
system of surface and underground waters that constitute, by virtue of
their physical relationship, a unitary whole and that flow into a common
terminus. WB Watercourse - A
system of surface and underground waters that constitute, by virtue of
their physical relationship, a unitary whole and that flow into a common
terminus. (FAO-UN) Water crop - See Water yield.
- USGS Water equivalent of snow - Amount of water
that would be obtained if the snow should be completely melted. Water
content may be merely the amount of liquid water in the snow at the time
of observation. (Wilson, 1942a, p. 153-154.) - USGS Waterlogging - Waterlogging occurs when soil
is fully saturated with water. The water may be from rising groundwater
or surface run-off. - NHT Water loss - The difference between the
average precipitation over a drainage basin and the water yield from the
basin for a given period. (After Williams and others, 1940, p. 3.) The
basic concept is that water loss is equal to evapotranspiration, that
is, water that returns to the atmosphere and thus is no longer available
for use. However, the term is also applied to differences between
measured inflow and outflow even where part of the difference may be
seepage. - USGS Watermaster - An
official of the Water Resources Department that allocates available
surface or groundwater in the state. - Bioenergy Glossary Water Pollution -
One or more chemicals in high enough concentration in water to harm
humans, other animals, vegetation or materials. (UNESCO) Water Preserve Areas (WPAs) - Multi-purpose
water management areas planned between urban areas and the eastern
Everglades, which will be utilized to treat urban runoff, store water,
reduce seepage and improve existing wetland areas. Everglades Plan
glossary Water Quality
The chemical, physical and biological characteristics of water with
respect to its suitability for a particular use. DOI/BLM Water Quality - The condition of water, especially
in relation to its suitability for drinking. Water is safe or unsafe
depending on the amount of bacteria in it. An adequate amount of water
is enough to satisfy metabolic, hygienic, and domestic requirements,
usually about 20 liters (about 4 gallons) per person per day. 'Access to
safe water' is a development indicator that refers to the number of
people who have a reasonable means of getting and adequate amount of
clean water, expressed as a percentage of the total population. In urban
areas 'reasonable' access means there is a public fountain or water
spigot located within 200 meters of the household. In rural areas, it
implies that members of the household do not have to spend excessive
time each day fetching water. (UNESCO) Water Quality Incentives Program - This program
was authorized in the FACT Act of 1990 and is administered by the Farm
Service Agency. It was repealed and replaced by the Environmental
Quality Incentives Program in the FAIR Act of 1996. It provided cost-share assistance to implement
comprehensive water quality protection plans and was funded by
earmarking a portion of the Agricultural Conservation Program. Water Quality Initiative - A multi-agency effort,
initiated by USDA in 1990, to determine relationships between
agricultural activities and water quality, and develop and implement
strategies that protect surface and groundwater quality. This program,
which builds earlier USDA water quality protection efforts, includes
research activities, projects involving landowners, and information and
data development. Landowners participate in demonstration projects,
hydrologic unit area projects, water quality special projects, and water
quality incentive projects. Water Quality Standards - State-adopted
and EPA-approved ambient standards for water bodies. The standards prescribe the use of the water
body and establish the water quality criteria that must be met to
protect designated uses, and contain policies to protect against
degradation of water quality once standards are attained and maintained.
Standards for water quality established under Section 303
of the U.S. Clean Water Act. The water quality standards program is
covered by an implementing regulation in 40 CFR 131. A water quality standard is a rule or law consisting
of three elements: (1) the designated use (or uses) to be made of the
water body or segment; (2) the water quality criteria needed to protect
that use (or uses); and (3) an antidegradation policy. Standards
are to protect the public health or welfare, improve water quality, and
serve the purpose of the Clean Water Act. Criteria are usually established thresholds that
when violated may result in harm to beneficial uses of water. Water Quality
Standard - A standard that defines the goals for a water body or portion
of a water body, by designating the beneficial use or uses to be made of
the water and by setting criteria necessary to protect the uses. Water
quality standards should provide for the protection and propagation of
fish, shellfish, and wildlife and for recreation in and on the water,
and should take into consideration the use and value of public water
supplies. Such standards establish water quality goals for a specific
water body and serve as the regulatory basis for the establishment of
water quality-based treatment controls and strategies beyond the
technology-based treatment required by sections 301(b) and 306 of the
CWA. - USDA/FS Water repellent
treated wood - Lumber impregnated with water repellent and
preservatives. - EPA Office of Pesticide Programs Glossary Water Retention
Curve - a graph showing the soil-water content versus applied tension,
suction, or water potential. Also
called water release characteristic curve. Water requirement -
The quantity of water, regardless of its source, required by a crop in a
given period of time, for its normal growth under field conditions. It
includes surface evaporation and other economically unavoidable wastes.
(Blaney, 1951a, p. 4.) USGS Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) The
WRDA provides for the conservation and development of water and related
resources and authorizes the Secretary of the Army to construct various
projects for improvements to rivers and harbors of the United States,
and for other purposes deemed appropriate by the U.S. Congress and the
President of the United States. Water Rights - The legal rights to the use of
water. Water rights -
California recognizes riparian and appropriative water rights. - Bureau
Of Reclamation (BOR) Water Acquisition Glossary Water Service Contract - a type of contract,
authorized by the Reclamation Project Act of 1939, whereby water is
furnished for irrigation or municipal or miscellaneous purposes at rates
to produce revenue sufficient to cover charges reimbursable to the
federal government. Watershed - The
area of land above a given point on a stream that contributes water to
the volume of a body of surface water; also referred to as a drainage
basin. - USDA/FS 2. The line separating waters flowing into different
rivers, basins or seas. Often used to mean catchment area or river
basin. WB Watershed - A geographic area of land, water,
and biota within the confines of a drainage divide. The total area above
a given point of a water body that contributes flow to that point. http://cleanwater.gov/ufp/glossary.html
Watershed approach - A framework to guide
watershed management that: 1) uses watershed assessments to determine
existing and reference conditions; 2) incorporates assessment results
into resource management planning; and 3) fosters collaboration with all
landowners in the watershed. The framework considers both ground and
surface water flow within a hydrologically defined geographical area. http://cleanwater.gov/ufp/glossary.html Watershed assessment - An analysis and
interpretation of the physical and landscape characteristics of a
watershed using scientific principles to describe watershed conditions
as they affect water quality and aquatic resources. Initial watershed
assessments will be conducted using existing data, where available. Data
gaps may suggest the collection of additional data.
http://cleanwater.gov/ufp/glossary.html Watershed coordinators - This program is
available to Non-profit organizations, local and regional units of
government. Organizations can request a six-year declining grant to
employ a watershed coordinator to work on watershed planning and
implementation to control nonpoint souce pollution. Grant covers salary
and fringe benefits for the coordinator; 100 percent (up to $40,000) in
year one and declining to 50 percent in year six. Contact: Rosida
Porter; 614-265-6647. Page 49 of the 87-page "Final Report"
from USFWS.
http://midwest.fws.gov/planning/ldarbyfinalreport.pdf Watershed condition - The state of the
watershed based on physical and biogeochemical characteristics and
processes (e.g., hydrologic, geomorphic, landscape, topographic,
vegetative cover, and aquatic habitat), water flow characteristics and
processes (e.g., volume and timing), and water quality characteristics
and processes (e.g., chemical, physical, and biological), as it affects
water quality and water resources. http://cleanwater.gov/ufp/glossary.html Water spreading -
Diverting or collecting runoff from natural channels, gullies, or
streams with a system of dams, dikes, ditches, or other means, and
spreading it over a relatively flat area. - National Resources Inventory Water Table - The
upper boundary or top surface of the zone of saturation in a soil
profile or geologic formation. The
underground level at which the ground is saturated with water. The level
at which water will stand in an excavation. Water table - The level of water in the Earth.
- UNEP Children's Glossary Water table - The
upper surface of a zone of saturation. No water table exists where that
surface is formed by an impermeable body. (Meinzer ,1923, p. 22.)
USGS Water transfers - A
transaction between a water supplier, agreeing to transfer a volume of
water, and the recipient of the water, under mutually acceptable terms,
including the volume of water, the price paid, the time period, and the
condition of the water for transfer. - Bureau Of Reclamation -- BOR --
Water Acquisition Glossary Water year - In
Geological Survey reports dealing with surface-water supply, the
12-month period, October 1 through September 30. The water year is
designated by the calendar year in which it ends and which includes 9 of
the 12 months. Thus, the year ended September 30, 1959, is called the
"1959 water year." - USGS Water 2000 Initiative - The program administered by
the Rural Utility Service goal is to improve the quality of drinking
water in distressed rural areas with the most serious safe drinking
water problems. Water Yield - The quantity of
water derived from a unit area of watershed. (BLM) Water yield (water
crop or runout) - The runoff from the drainage basin, including
ground-water outflow that appears in the stream plus groundwater outflow
that bypasses the gaging station and leaves the basin underground. Water
yield is the precipitation minus the evpotranspiration. USGS WATERS - Water
Administration Technical Engineering Resource System Waters of the State - All streams, lakes, ponds,
marshes, watercourses, waterways, wells, springs, irrigation systems,
drainage systems, and all other bodies of water above or below ground
which are partially or wholly in the state, border on the state, or are
within the jurisdiction of the state. Private waters that do not combine
or have a junction with natural surface or underground waters are not
included (for example, an isolated farm pond that does not infiltrate to
ground water or connect to surface water).
The ocean and its estuaries, all springs, streams and bodies of
surface or ground water, whether natural or artificial, within the
boundaries of the State or subject to its jurisdiction. Waterfowl Production Areas - A small component of
the National Wildlife Refuge System. There are over 2,000,000 acres of
this prime duck-producing land, mostly prairie potholes in the Dakotas,
Minnesota, and Montana. The Fish and Wildlife Service owns, leases, or
holds easements on the lands.
Watershed - The total
land area, regardless of size, above a given point on a waterway that
contributes runoff water to the flow at that point. It is a major
subdivision of a drainage basin. The United States is generally divided
into 18 major drainage areas and 160 principal river drainage basins
containing about 12,700 smaller watersheds.
The entire region or land area that contributes water to a
drainage system or stream, collects and drains water into a stream or
stream system, or is drained by a waterway (or into a lake or
reservoir). More
specifically, a watershed is an area of land above a given point on a
stream that contributes water to the streamflow at that point.
A region or area where surface runoff and groundwater drain to a
common water course or body of water.
The area drained by a river or river system enclosed by drainage
divides. An area of land
that drains to a single water outlet.
The entire land area that collects and drains water into a stream
or stream system. A
watershed is also known as a sub-basin. 2. All land and water within the
confines of a drainage divide. - BLM (DOI) Grand Escalante Staircase
National Monument DEIS Glossary 3. The line separating waters flowing
into different rivers, basins or seas. Often used to mean catchment area
or river basin. (UN) 3. The divide separating one drainage basin from
another and in the past has been generally used to convey this meaning.
However, over the years, use of the term to signify drainage basin or
catchment area has come to predominate, although drainage basin is preferred. Drainage divide, or just divide, is
used to denote the boundary between one drainage area and another. Used
alone, the term "watershed" is ambiguous and should not be
used unless the intended meaning is made clear. - USGS Watershed Scenarios - To consider human
derived impacts on watershed quality. Before this can be done, however,
characteristics specific to each watershed must be analyzed and
information must be generated for each unique area. EPA Watershed-based
Zoning - Achieves watershed protection goals by creating a watershed
development plan, using zoning as the basis (flexible density and
subdivision layout specifications), that falls within the range of
density and imperviousness allowable for the watershed to prevent
environmental impacts. Watershed- based zoning usually employs a mixture
of zoning practices. - Smart Growth Green Development Glossary Watershed And Flood
Prevention Operations - A program area of the Natural Resources
Conservation Service that includes Flood Prevention Operations (under
the Flood Control Act of 1944, P.L. 78-534), Emergency Watershed
Protection, and Small Watershed Operations (under the Watershed and
Flood Prevention Act of 1954, P.L. 83-566). These programs have built
small watershed projects that reduce floods, protect watersheds, improve
water quality, reduce soil erosion, improve water supply, and provide
recreation. They involve strong partnerships with local interests.
Watershed Conservation Area - The Watershed
Conservation Area is an area of the watershed surrounding the Voluntary
Purchase Area. Within this
area, easements would be acquired from willing sellers by USFWS, the
State, or some other interested entity to ensure long-term farmland
integrity in a way that compliments and enhances the preservation and
restoration of habitats acquired in the Voluntary Purchase Area. (USFWS-Region
3, proposed Little Darby National Wildlife Refuge) Water Table - The
upper surface of groundwater. The
top of a section of saturated groundwater.
Below it, the soil is saturated with water. Waters of the U.S.
- The term waters of the United States means (1) All waters which are
currently used, or were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use
in interstate or foreign commerce, including all water which are subject
to the ebb and flow of the tide; (2) All interstate waters including
interstate wetlands; (3) All other waters such as intrastate lakes,
rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats,
wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or
natural ponds, the use, degradation or destruction of which could affect
interstate or foreign commerce including any such waters: (i) Which are
or could be used by interstate or foreign travelers for recreational or
other purposes; or (ii) From which fish or shellfish are or could be
taken and sold in interstate or foreign commerce; or (iii) Which are
used or could be used for industrial purposes by industries in
interstate commerce; (4) All impoundments of waters otherwise defined as
waters of the United States under this definition; (5) Tributaries of
waters identified in paragraphs (1)-(4); (6) The territorial seas; (7)
Wetlands adjacent to waters (other than waters that are themselves
wetland) identified in paragraphs (1)-(6). Waste treatment systems,
including treatment ponds or lagoons designed to meet the requirements
of CWA (other than cooling ponds as defined in 40 CFR § 123.11(m) which
also meet the criteria of this definition) are not waters of the United
States. 33 CFR § 328.3(a); 40 CFR § 230.3(s). Waterway - Any channel, natural or constructed, in
which water flows. Water Yield - The measured output of streams. The runoff from a watershed, including groundwater outflow. WAVE - Working
Against Violence Everywhere WB - World Bank WBC - White Blood
Cell WBCA - Wild Bird
Conservation Act (1992) WBCSDS - World
Business Council for Sustainable Development and Sustainability WBE - Womens
Business Enterprise WBGEF - World Bank Global Environment Facility WBM - World Biosphere Management WBP - Winnebago
Bison Project WBSMNP - World Bank
Symposium on Movement of Natural Persons (UN) WBSMP - Watershed Based Storm Management Plans WC - Walkable Communities WC - Watershed Change WC
- Watershed Council WC - Watershed Councils WC - Wealth Creation WC - We Care WC - Western Caucus WC - Wetland Creation WC - Wholesale
Customer WC - Wicca Circle WCA - Washington
County Alliance (Maine) WCA - Western
Counties Alliance WCA - World Citizen Association WCA - Wolf Core
Areas WCAC - Walkable Communities Advisory
Committee WCAR - World
Conference Against Racism indigenous peoples(UN) WCARRD - World Conference on Agrarian Reform and
Rural Development (UN, Rome, June, 1979) WCB - Wildlife Conservation Biology WCB - Wildlife Conservation Board WCC - Winter Cover
Crops WCC - World Council of Churches (originated in
Yellow Springs, OH) WCCD - World Commission on Culture and Development
(UNESCO) WCD - World Commission on Dams WCED - Western
Center for Environmental Decision-Making WCED - World Commission on Environment and
Development (IUCN) WCED - World
Commission on the Environment and Development (Bruntland Commission) WCES - World Community Educational Society WCGMP - Water Conservancy Groundwater Monitoring
Program WCI - Wildlife
Connectivity Issues WCMC - World
Conservation Monitoring Centre (IUCN - UN) - Provides information
services on conservation and sustainable use of the world's living
resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own. WCIND - The West Coast Inland Navigation
District (Florida) WCL - World Confederation of Labor WCLA - Washington
Contract Logging Association WCMC - World Conservation Monitoring Center WCNDR - World Conference on Natural Disaster
Reduction (UN) WCP - Wildlands Conservation Planning WCPR - Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads WCPR - The
Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads (Missoula, MT and Boulder, CO) WCRR - World Climate Research Program (UN) WCS - World Conservation Strategy (IUCN) WCS - Worst-Case
Scenario WCT - World
Confederation of Teachers WCU - World Conservation Union (aka IUCN) WCWI - Western
Civil War of Incorporation WD - Watershed District WD - Wildland Defense WD - Winters
Doctrine WD - Workforce Diversity WD - Working Definition WDIYC - Worldwide
Do-It-Yourself Council WDB - Workforce Development Board(s) WDCB - Wolf
Depredation Compensation Board WDC - Well
Decommissioning WDF - World
Development Federation WDI - Water Delivery Infrastructure WDI - Workforce
Development Infrastructure WDP - Workforce
Development Policy WDR - World
Development Report (UN) WDRU - Wildlife-Dependent Recreational Uses (USFWS) WDRUP - Wildlife-Dependent Recreation Uses Policy (USFWS) WDS - Workforce
Development System WDT - World Debt Tables WE - Watershed Ecology WE - Wealth Extraction WE - Wetland Enhancement WE - Wilderness
Extensions WE - Windbreak
Establishment WE - Work Ethic WE - World Exports Weathering - The
group of processes (such as chemical action of air and rainwater and the
biological action of plants and animals) whereby rocks and minerals
change in character, disintegrate, decompose, and synthesize new
compounds and clay minerals. Weathering - The
disintegration and decomposition of rocks and other earth materials
through exposure to the atmosphere. Weathering is one of the major
factors in soil formation. - BLM Surface Mgmt. Regs. WEB - Watershed
Enhancement Board WebCASPAR -
Computer-Aided Science Policy Analysis and Research database system WEBWORLD - Through the portal webworld the
reader can access theme pages on information policies and strategies,
public domain, legal and ethical issues, and on infostructure (network
development, information management etc.)
http://www.unesco.org/webworld/index.shtml WECA - Wild-Eyed Conservative Activist WeCARE - Wolf Creek
Awareness and Resource Evaluation Project (234 square miles, or 149,000
acres, in Morgan and Washington Counties, Ohio -- includes 37 named
tributaries) DOI/USFWS WED - Water Enforcement Division WEDO - Womens Environment Development Organization Weed - Any plant
that is not valued by the human society and usually tends to overgrow or
compete with valued flora. - NPS Ecology and Restoration Glossary WEF - Water Environment Federation WEFA - Wharton
Econometric Forecasting Associates WEHAB The Water,
Energy, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity framework (UN) WEHF - Walter and
Elise Haas Fund WELC - Western
Environmental Law Center Wellhead Protection Area - A designated
surface and subsurface area surrounding a well or well field that
supplies a public water supply and through which contaminants or
pollutants are likely to pass and eventually reach the aquifer that
supplies the well or well field. The
purpose of designating the area is to provide protection from the
potential of contamination of the water supply. These areas are
designated in accordance with laws, regulations, and plans that protect
public drinking water supplies. Well-logging
- A technique used in oil and gas exploration to help predict the
commercial viability of new or existing wells. It involves lowering a
well-logging tool, including a sealed source of radioactive material,
into a well on a wire. This device sends data on the well's underground
characteristics to the surface, where it is plotted on a chart. -
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Well graded -
Refers to soil material consisting of coarse grained particles that are
well distributed over a wide range in size or diameter. Such soil
normally can be easily increased in density and bearing properties by
compaction. Contrasts with poorly graded soil. - USDA WELU - Western
Environmental Law Update WELUT - Western Energy and Land Use Team (USFWS,
Ft. Collins, CO) WEMO
- West Mojave Management Plan http://www.ca.blm.gov/cdd/wemo.html WENDB - Water Enforcement National Data Base WERC - Wolf
Education Research Center WESC - The Water
and Environmental Standards Council WESL - Wind Erosion Soils List WESTA - The Western European Seafood Technology Association
Western Oregon Digital DataBase (WODDB) - A
very high resolution (l"=400') geographic digital (computer)
database derived from aerial photography for BLM lands in western
Oregon. (BLM) The
West Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987 - TITLE
16 > CHAPTER 1 > SUBCHAPTER LXXI-A > Sec. 460m-15. Notes on
Sec. 460m-15. SOURCE: Pub. L. 95-625, title XI, Sec. 1101, Nov. 10,
1978, 92 Stat. 3544 Pub. L. 100-534, title I, Sec. 101, Oct. 26, 1988,
102 Stat. 2700 Pub. L. 104-333, div. I, title IV, Sec. 406(a)(1), Nov.
12, 1996, 110 Stat. 4149. AMENDMENTS: 1996 - Pub. L. 104-333 substituted
''NERI-80,028A, dated March 1996'' for ''NERI-80,023, dated January 1987.'' 1988 - Pub. L. 100-534
substituted ''NERI-80,023, dated January 1987'' for ''NERI-20,002, dated
July 1978.'' SHORT TITLE OF 1988 AMENDMENT: Section 1 of Pub. L. 100-534
provided that: ''This Act (enacting sections 460m-26 to 460m-29 and
460ww to 460ww-5 of this title, amending this section and section 1274
of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this
section and section 1274 of this title) may be cited as the 'West
Virginia National Interest River Conservation Act of 1987.''' NEW,
GAULEY, MEADOW, AND BLUESTONE RIVERS; CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND
PURPOSE: Section 2 of Pub. L. 100-534 provided that: ''(a) Findings. -
The Congress finds that - ''(1) The outstanding natural, scenic,
cultural and recreational values of the segment of the New River in West
Virginia within the boundaries of the New River Gorge National River
have been preserved and enhanced by its inclusion in the National Park
System. ''(2) The establishment of the New River Gorge National River
has provided the basis for increased recreation and tourism activities
in southern West Virginia due to its nationally recognized status and
has greatly contributed to the regional economy. ''(3) Certain boundary
modifications to the New River Gorge National River are necessary to
further protect the scenic resources within the river's visual corridor
and to provide for better management of the national park unit. ''(4)
Several tributaries of the New River in West Virginia also possess
remarkable and outstanding features of national significance. The
segment of the Gauley River below Summersville Dam has gained national
recognition as a premier whitewater recreation resource. The lower
section of the Bluestone River and the lower section of the Meadow River
possess remarkable and outstanding natural, scenic, and recreational
values due to their predominantly undeveloped condition. ''(5) Portions
of several of the New River tributaries, including segments of the
Gauley River, the Meadow River, and the Bluestone River are suitable for
inclusion in the National Park System or the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers System. ''(6) It is in the national interest to preserve the
natural condition of certain segments of the New, Gauley, Meadow, and
Bluestone Rivers in West Virginia and to enhance recreational
opportunities available on the free-flowing segments. ''(b) Purpose. -
The purpose of this Act (see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note above)
is to provide for the protection and enhancement of the natural, scenic,
cultural, and recreational values on certain free-flowing segments of
the New, Gauley, Meadow, and Bluestone Rivers in the State of West
Virginia for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future
generations.'' COORDINATION AMONG RECREATIONAL RESOURCES: Section 401 of
Pub. L. 100-534 provided that: ''Subject to existing authority, the
Secretary of the Interior shall cooperate with, and assist, any regional
authority comprised of representatives of West Virginia State
authorities and local government authorities in or any combination of
the foregoing Nicholas, Fayette, Raleigh, Summers, Greenbrier, and
Mercer Counties, West Virginia, for the purposes of providing for
coordinated development and promotion of recreation resources of
regional or national significance which are located in southern West
Virginia and management by State or Federal agencies, including State,
local and National Park System units, State and National Forest System
units, and historic sites.'' SPECIAL PROVISIONS: Section 402 of Pub. L.
100-534 provided that: ''Subject to his responsibilities to protect the
natural resources of the National Park System, the Secretary of the
Interior shall enter into a cooperative agreement with the State of West
Virginia providing for the State's regulation, in accordance with State
law, of persons providing commercial recreational watercraft services on
units of the National Park System and components of the National Wild
and Scenic Rivers System subject to this Act (see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note above).'' CONSOLIDATED MANAGEMENT: Section 404 of Pub. L. 100-534 provided that: ''In order to achieve the maximum economy and efficiency of operations in the administration of the National Park System units established or expanded pursuant to this Act (see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note above), the Secretary shall consolidate offices and personnel administering all such units to the extent practicable and shall utilize the existing facilities of the New River Gorge National River to the extent practicable.'' NEW SPENDING AUTHORITY: Section 405 of Pub. L. 100-534 provided that: ''Any new spending authority which is provided under this Act (see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note above) shall be effective for any fiscal year only to the extent or in such amounts as provided in appropriation Acts.'' http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/16/460m-15.notes.html Western Wood
Preservers Institute (WWPI) - The trade association representing the
pressure-treating industry in western North America. WWPI technical
staff provides information on use, selection, and specification of
pressure-treated wood. - EPA Office of Pesticide Programs Glossary WESTFORNET - Western Forest Information Network (USFS) WESTPO - Western
Governors Policy Office WET - Wetland Evaluation Technique WET - Whole
Effluent Toxicity WET - Water Education for Teachers WETA - Western Environmental Trade Association Wet deposition -
Precipitation of all kinds. - Shoreland Mgmt. Glossary WETMAAP - Wetlands Education Through Maps And
Aerial Photography. A geographic approach that combines aerial
photography, topographic maps, and manual & computerized Geographic
Information Systems (GIS) for wetland habitat assessment. These WETMAAP
materials provide the chance to explore wetland issues through ten
representative wetland sites in the US. WETMAAP case study sites,
workshop materials, and data resources are available on the website. The
site also provides teachers materials such as slide shows, lesson plans and
tests. http://www.wetmaap.org/
Wet Meadows - Areas where grasses predominate.
Normally waterlogged within a few inches of the ground surface. (BLM) Wetland - Areas such as lakes, marshes, bogs,
swamps, wet meadows and shallow streams that are inundated by surface or
ground water for a long enough period of time each year to support, and
that do support under natural conditions, plants and animals that
require saturated or seasonally saturated soils.
Soil areas that have evidence of saturated conditions part of the
year (ponded water, hydric soil, wet-area plants, such as cattails).
Wetlands are an important natural resource that provides flood control,
pollution control and habitat for fishes, birds and mammals as well as
aquatic life. Wetlands such as marshes, swamps, bogs and fens are
amongst the most fertile and productive ecosystems in the world.
Wetlands cover 6% of the Earth's land surface and are found in all
countries and in all climates. They are important breeding grounds for
fish and other wildlife. They also help maintain the global water cycle
and act as a filtering system to clean up polluted water, encouraging
plant growth and improving water quality. Wetlands are the only
ecosystem that is protected by a specific international convention - the
RAMSAR Convention. (UNESCO) Wetland Complex - The aggregation of wetlands and
associated ecological features (e.g., corridors, uplands, buffers, etc.)
with the landscape. Wetland complex frequency A measure of how
many wetland complexes are in this Natural Disturbance Type (NDT)
relative to other NDTs. - Biodiversity Guidebook Glossary Wetland Finding Procedure - The wetland finding
procedure establishes the criteria and procedures for satisfying the
wetland finding requirements of Executive Order 11990.
It requires documentation of wetlands associated with the project
including a description of the wetlands, identification of wetland
impacts, documentation of alternative analysis, and development of a
mitigation plan for unavoidable wetland impacts. Wetland habitat -
Wetland habitat consists of water-tolerant plants in open, marshy or
swampy, shallow water areas. Examples of wildlife attracted to this
habitat are ducks, geese, herons, bitterns, rails, kingfishers, muskrat,
otter, mink, and beaver. - NRCS, USDA Wetland Identification, Delineation and Functional
Assessment Report - Provides both written and illustrated data to define
the boundaries of those topographic features within a study area and
which meet the Federal definition of wetland as contained in 33CFR
323.2. A delineation report
represents the first step in the overall wetland study process,
evaluates the importance of a wetland, and ultimately assesses the
effects of a project on a wetland. Wetland losses -
Wetland losses are described in terms of gross and net. Net change is
defined as the gross gain minus the gross loss, and can be either
positive (net gain) or negative (net loss) for a given region. Wetland
losses were attributed to one of the following categories: 1.
Development - Loss occurring on land cover/use category of urban and
built-up or rural transportation. 2. Agriculture - Loss occurring on
land cover/use category of cropland, pastureland, CRP land, farmsteads
or other farmland. 3. Silviculture - Loss occurring on forest land. 4.
Miscellaneous - Loss occurring on all other land cover/use categories,
including mined land, rangeland, and other barren lands. Natural
variations in climatic cycles and hydrology are responsible for the
majority of these losses. - National Resources Inventory Wetland System -
Complex of wetland habitats that share the influence of similar
hydrologic, geomorphologic, chemical, or biological factors. [USFWS] -
NRI Glossary Wetlands - Permanently wet or intermittently
water-covered land areas, such as swamps, marshes, bogs, muskegs,
potholes, swales, and glades. Areas
that are inundated by surface or ground water with a frequency
sufficient to support a prevalence of vegetative or aquatic life that
requires saturated or seasonally saturated soil conditions for growth
and reproduction. Areas
that are permanently wet or are intermittently covered with water.
Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, wet meadows,
river overflows, mud flats, and natural ponds. Wetlands - 2. Lands
including swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar areas, such as wet meadows,
river overflows, mud flats, and natural ponds. - BLM (DOI) Grand
Escalante Staircase National Monument DEIS Glossary 3. Areas of marsh,
fen, peatland, or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or
temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or
salt, including areas of marine water less than six metres deep at low
tide. (FAO-UN) 4. Lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic
systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the
land is covered by shallow water. For purposes of this classification
wetlands must have one or more of the following three attributes: (1) at
least periodically, the land supports predominantly hydrophytes; (2) the
substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil; and (3) the substrate
is nonsoil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at
some time during the growing season of each year. (Cowardin, L. M., V.
Carter, F. C. Golet, E. T. LaRoe. 1979. Classification of wetlands and
deepwater habitats of the United States. FWS/OBS-79/31. U.S. Department
of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.) - National Resources
Inventory 5. Areas of marsh, fen, peatland, or water, whether natural or
artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or
flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water less
than six metres deep at low tide. - WB Wetlands Mitigation Bank - A bank is
created when wetlands at a site are restored, enhanced or created in
advance of destruction of similar wetlands in nearby locations. The bank
then sells 'credits' in the bank to permit applicants under Section 404
who are required, as a permit condition, to offset the negative impacts their project will have on wetlands.
Public entities or private enterprise may establish Banks. The FAIR Act
of 1996 has a provision allowing USDA to establish a pilot-banking
program. Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) - A program
authorized by FACT Act of 1990 to provide long-term protection for
wetlands. Producers enrolling in the program must agree to implement an
approved wetlands restoration and protection plan. In return,
participating producers receive payments based on the difference in the
value of their land caused by placing an easement on a portion of it. The FAIR Act of 1996 limits enrollment
of the WRP to 975,000 acres. USDA is required to divide new enrollments among permanent easements,
30-year easements, and restoration cost-share agreements. Previously,
all enrollment had been permanent easements. Wetlands Reserve
Program (WRP) - WRP provides funding to farmers to preserve wetlands on
their property. WRP is funded at $1.5 billion, with the acreage cap
increased to 2.28 million acres. Wet Meadow A meadow where the surface
remains wet or moist throughout the growing season, usually
characterized by sedges and rushes. - USDA DEIS Upper & Lower East
Fork Cattle and Horse Allotment Management Plans glossary (Sawtooth
National Recreation Area, Sawtooth National Forest, Custer County, Idaho Wet Milling - A
process in which feed material is steeped in water, with or without
sulphur dioxide, to soften the seed kernel in order to help separate the
kernel's various components. For example, wet-milling plants can
separate a bushel of corn into more than 31 pounds of starch (which in
turn can be converted into corn sweeteners or ethanol), 15 pounds of
animal feed, and nearly 2 pounds of corn oil.
Wet Season - Hydrologically, the months
associated with a higher than average incident of rainfall.
Everglades Plan glossary Wetted Perimeter -
The length of the wetted contact between a stream of flowing water and
the stream bottom in a vertical plane at right angles to the direction
of flow. - BLM Surface Mgmt. Regs. WF - Wallis
Foundation WF - Watering Facility WF - Weeden Foundation WF - Wilberforce
Foundation WFA - World
Federalists Association WFB - World Food Bank WFC - World Food Conference (UN) WFC - World Food Council (UN) WFEA - Western Farm
Economics Association (NAS) WFEC - Western Fire
Ecology Center for the American Lands Alliance (Eugene, Oregon) WFF - World Wide
Fund for Nature (yes, this acronym is correct although certainly
misleading) WFGD - Wyoming Game
and Fish Department WFI - Warrant
Further Investigation WFI - With Fraudulent Intent WFI - Without Further Investigation WFM - Weather as a Force Multiplier WFP - Wetland
Finding Procedure WFP - World Food
Program (UN) WFP - Watershed Forestry Program
WFPA - Washington Forest Protection
Association WFR - Wild Forest Review WFS - Warranting
Further Study WFSD - Wildlands
Fire Suppression Division WG - Wage Grade
(USFWS employee pay scale) WG - Working Group WG - World Government WGA - Western
Growers Association WGA - The Western
Governors Association Board of Directors is comprised of the governors
of Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii,
Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington
and Wyoming. WGF - Wallace
Genetic Foundation WGIP - Working Group on Indigenous Populations (UN
- WIPO - CHR) WGMA - Working Group on Multilateral Assistance WGP
- World Gold Prices (World Bank) WGS-84 - World Geodetic System 1984 (GPS) WGV - Weight of
Grassland Vegetation WH - Woodland
Habitat WHA - Workforce
Housing Affordability WHB - Wildlife
Habitat Biologist WHC - Wildlife
Habitat Connectivity WHC - Water
Harvesting Catchment WHC - Wildlife Habitat Council WHC - World Heritage Committee WHC - World Heritage Convention WHC - UNESCO's
World Heritage Centre (Paris, France) WHCEQ - The White
House Council on Environmental Quality WHCHC - White House Conference on Hate Crimes WHCM - Wildlife Habitat Capability Model
WHD - World Heritage Designation (UN/DOI/NPS) Wheeling - The
process of transferring electrical energy between buyer and seller by
way of an intermediate utility or utilities. - Bioenergy Glossary WHFC - Woods Hole
Field Center (USGS) WHIP - Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program White wood - Lumber
intended for treating that has not yet treated been treated. - EPA
Office of Pesticide Programs Glossary WHMP - Wild Horse Management Plan WHN - World
Heritage Newsletter http://www.unesco.org/whc/news/index-en.htm
WHO - World Health Organization (United Nations) Whole Herd Buyout Program - Another term
for the dairy termination program. Whole-tree harvesting - A harvesting method in
which the whole tree (above the stump) is removed. - Bioenergy Glossary Wholesale Price Index - A composite index of prices
of commodities sold in primary U.S. markets. 'Wholesale' refers to sale
in large quantities by producers, not to prices received by wholesalers,
jobbers, or distributors. In agriculture, it is the average price
received by farmers for their farm commodities at the first point of
sale when the commodity leaves the farm.
WHORM - White House
Office of Records Management WHROW
Wildlife-Habitat Relationships in Oregon and Washington WHS - World
Heritage Site (UN/DOI/NPS) WHTA - Western Hemisphere Trade Alliance WHYCOS - World Hydrological Cycle Observing System WI - Waste
Impoundments WI - Wetlands
Inventory WIA Workforce
Investment Act WIAC - Wildlife Issues and Activist Coordinator WIC - Washington
Information Center WIC Farmers' Market
Nutrition Act of 1992 - P.L. 102-314 (July 2, 1992) WIC established a
program authorizing projects that provide participants in the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
with food coupons that can be used to purchase fresh, unprocessed foods,
such as fruits and vegetables at farmers' markets.
WICEE - The Wuppertal Institute for Climate,
Environment and Energy (European think-tank for sustainable development
and eco-efficiency) WICEM - World Industry Conference on Environmental
Management WIFE - Women Involved in Farm Economics WIG
- Wildlife Interest Group http://www.internationalwildlifelaw.org/index.shtml WIHA - Walk-In Hunting Areas (DOI/USFWS)
WILD - Wildland Defense
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